2. Background to the CEFR
The Council of Europe (CoE) founded in 1949 serves 800 million
people in 47 member states.
The purposes of the Council of Europe;
defend human rights
develop continent wide agreements to standardize member countries`
social and legal practices
promote awareness of a European identity based on shared values
and cutting across different cultures (Morrow, 2008)
3. Background to the CEFR
In 1970s, The Threshold Level was developed by John Trim and Jan
van Ek on the basis of preliminary studies by a group of experts
convened by the Council of Europe to investigate the feasibility of a
European unit-credit scheme for adult language learning
Threshold Level was produced as an attempt to define in
considerable detail the minimum level of language proficiency which
would enable a language learner to act as an independent agent in
transacting the business of everyday living as well as exchanging
information and ideas with other people
It is the first systematic specification of learning objectives for the
English language
4. Background to the CEFR
It initiated the functional-notional approach, setting out first what the
learner had to do with the language and secondarily what language
was necessary
Threshold specified objectives for a broadly intermediate level: a
lower and an upper level were subsequently described, known as
Waystage and Vantage
In 1990, both Threshold Level and Waystage were revised in the
light of CEFR (Trim, 2001)
5. Why is CEFR needed?
In the Intergovernmental Symposium held in Rüschlikon,
Switzerland November 1991, Common European Framework of
reference was developed for language learning at all levels, in order
to (Council of Europe , 2001) :
promote and facilitate co-operation among educational institutions in different
countries
provide a sound basis for the mutual recognition of language qualifications
assist learners, teachers, course designers, examining bodies and educational
administrators to situate and co-ordinate their efforts
6. Why is CEF needed?
CEF is a document published by the Council of Europe`s Language
Policy Division in 2001
Council of Europe (2001; p.1) describes that the Common European
Framework provides a common basis for the elaboration of language
syllabuses, curriculum guidelines, examinations, textbooks, etc.
across Europe.
It describes in a comprehensive way what language learners have to
learn to do in order to use a language for communication and what
knowledge and skills they have to develop so as to be able to act
effectively
Council of Europe (2009; p.3) expresses that the aim of the CEFR is
to facilitate reflection, communication and networking in language
education
7. Oblectives and Principles of the
CEFR
OBJECTIVES
Promoting plurilingualism
Developing plurilingual profile
Defining positive ‘can-do’ descriptors
Developing textbooks and teaching materials
Supporting teacher education and cooperation
Enhancing quality in learning, teaching and assessment
Facilitating transparency in testing
8. Plurilingualism
Plurilingualism has grown in importance in the Council of Europe’s
approach to language learning
Plurilingualism differs from multilingualism
Multilingualism may be attained by simply diversifying the
languages on offer in a particular school or educational system, or by
encouraging pupils to learn more than one foreign language, or
reducing the dominant position of English in international
communication (Council of Europe, 2001)
9. Plurilingualism
The plurilingual approach emphasises the fact that as an individual
person’s experience of language in its cultural contexts expands, from
the language of the home to that of society at school or college, he
does not keep these languages and cultures in strictly separated mental
compartments, but rather builds up a communicative competence to
which all knowledge and experience of language contributes and in
which languages interrelate and interact (Council of Europe, 2001)
Plurilingualism has itself to be seen in the context of pluriculturalism
10. Oblectives and Principles of the
CEFR
PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES
Learner Autonomy
Self-assessment
Cultural Diversity
LANGUAGE LEARNING DOMAINS
The public domain
The personal domain
The occupational domain
The educational domain
11. Oblectives and Principles of the
CEFR
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
Reception
Production
Interaction
Mediation
12. CEFR
CEF should be (Council of Europe, 2001);
multi-purpose: usable for the full variety of purposes involved in the
planning and provision of facilities for language learning
flexible: adaptable for use in different circumstances
open: capable of further extension and refinement
dynamic: in continuous evolution in response to experience in its use
user-friendly: presented in a form readily understandable and usable
by those to whom it is addressed
non-dogmatic: not irrevocably and exclusively attached to any one
of a number of competing linguistic or educational theories or
practices
13. CEFR
CEFR provides a comprehensive theoretical approach to modern
language learning and teaching to help practitioners (learners,
teachers, parents, course designers, administrators, employers etc) to
orientate their options and to inform each other in a comprehensive,
transparent and coherent way (CoE, 2001)
Council of Europe (2001;p.21) states one of the aims of the
Framework is to help partners to describe the levels of proficiency
required by existing standards, tests and examinations in order to
facilitate comparisons between different systems of
qualifications. For this purpose, the Council of Europe has
developed a European Framework with common reference levels.
15. Common Reference Levels
The basic user has the most elementary expression, however in
communication is dependent of the willingness on the converser to
adapt to the attain level- conversers assistance is necessary
The independent user can handle the daily language practice, is
mostly able to interact without too much effort and generally is able to
follow a normal speech tempo- some consideration needs to be taken
into account that is not his/her tongue
The proficient user has hardly any or no strains in the use of the
target language and no consideration needs to be taken into account
that is not his/her native tongue (Council of Europe, 2001; p.23)
16. Common Reference Levels
Common Reference Levels are widely used by ministries,
examination bodies and providers, curriculum developers, textbook
writers and publishers.
One example of this is the objectives set in France by the French
Ministry of Education for the academic year 2007/8 onwards:
at the end of primary education, learners should reach Level A1 of the CEFR in the
language studied
at the end of compulsory schooling, learners should reach Level B1 of the CEFR in the first
language studied and A2 in the second language studied
at the Baccalaureate level, learners should reach Level B2 of the CEFR in the first language
studied and B1 in the second language studied.(Martyniuk, 2005; p.14).
18. “Global Scale”
“Global Scale” is used to compare language skills and certificates
For example a student who studied French in a high school in
Poland, when applying for an apprenticeship in France, can give a
potential employer a good idea of what such a diploma in French
means (Broeder & Martyniuk, 2008)
“Self-Assessment Grid”
19. “Can Do” Descriptors
“illustrative descriptors” were developed and validated for the CEF.
“Can Do” descriptors are provided for reception, interaction and
production
“Can Do” statements bring language learning/teaching and
assessment into a much closer relation to each other than has often
been the case
Each “Can Do” descriptor implies;
A learning target
Teaching/learning activities
Assessment criteria
(Little, 2007)
20. CEFR 2018 COMPANION
VOLUME
To produce versions for young learners and sign languages
Main Changes
The descriptors
Mediation
Pluriculturalism
Literature
Online Usage
Sign Language
Younf learners
21. IMPLICATIONS FOR ELT
Reference Level Labels
Learning Outcomes
Self-evaluation and autonomy
Testing
Materials
Methodology
Teacher Training
22. ELP and CEF
CEF is the product of the European Language Portfolio (ELP)
developed by the Council of Europe and piloted from 1998 until 2000
for a better learning and teaching process
The ELP is an instrument that facilitates the recording, planning, and
validation of lifelong language learning
The ELP describes;
how and where a learner has studied languages
which proficiency level learner has reached
what plans learner has for developing his language competences
24. Components of the ELP
Language Passport is learner`s linguistic identity by foreign
language learnt, records formal qualifications, describes language
competencies as well as significant learning experiences
Language Biography, provides language learning target, monitor
progress and record specially important language learning and
intercultural experiences; learners state what they can do in each
language and include information about experiences
Dossier collects evidence of foreign language proficiency and
intercultural experience, especially supports portfolio learning
(Council of Europe, 2001)
25. The usage of the ELP in Turkey
The Turkish Ministry of Education piloted the ELP at first in 2002-
2003 academic years, and since then it has been piloted and used in
many schools and cities in Turkey
In May 2003 the Turkish ELP model for secondary learners was
validated by the European Validation Committee in Strasbourg
(Demirel, 2005).
In 2011, 7 ELP models of Turkey were accredited by the European
Language Portfolio Validation Committee
All over the world 118 ELP models were validated and accredited
by the Council of Europe
26. References
Broeder, P., & Martyniuk, W. (2008). Language Education in
Europe: The Common European Framework of Reference. In N. Van
Deusen-Scholl & N. Hornberger (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Language
and Education (pp. 208-226). New York: USA.
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment.
Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Council of Europe. (2009). Relating Language Examination to the
Common European Framework Reference for Languages: Learning,
Teaching, Assessment (CEFR)-A Manual, Strasbourg, Council of
Europe.
Demirel, Ö. (2005). Avrupa Konseyi dil projesi ve Türkiye
uygulaması. MEB Eğitim ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 167 (33).
27. References
Little, D. (2007, February 6-8). From the Common European
Framework of Reference to the European Language Portfolio. Paper
presented at the CEFR and the development of language policies:
challenges and responsibilities Conference, Strasbourg, France:
Council of Europe.
Martyniuk, W. (2005). Relating Language Examinations to the
Council of Europe`s Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages (CEFR). In L. Taylor & C. J. Weir (Eds),
Multilingualism and Assessment: Achieving Transparency, Assuring
Quality, Sustaining Diversity. Cambridge University Press, 9-18.
Morrow, K. (2008). Insights from the Common European
Framework. Oxford University Press.
Trim, J.L.M. (Ed.). (2001). Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages: learning, teaching and assessment-A
Guide for Users. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe.
